No Election as of Yet: Harper finds his "socialist" side

A coalition government but not necessarily a coalition.

Bloc support for Tories to avert election call (CBC NEWS)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/09/15/bloc-election-motion.html

PM has new love for 'socialists': Ignatieff (CBC NEWS)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/09/14/parliament-house-commons-vote281.html

The Canadian political scene reminds me of a disfunctional family. You have the arogrant self centered father-- the Conservatives. Heterosexist and set in his ways, the party calls for tradition and family values, specifically if he can control that family. The loud nagging mother, the Liberal party, is always saying "what about." What about women? What about aboriginal people? What about disabled people? What about multiculturalism? She's always onto the next project, not quite leaving anything completely finished. Sometimes her "what abouts" are really just gestures without any action to back them up.

The NDP and the Bloc would be the two children who take sides whenever they can get the most out it. I can image Layton and Duceppe giggling over their toys. "But mommy promised me increased rights for the marginalized!!" "But Daddy said that we could deregulate the economy!!" The kids are always the smart ones because they capitalize no matter how things go. The voters however don't.

Imagine that this political family lives in a house they do not own. This house is called Canada. Sometimes the family runs up the hydro too much, leaving the people who own the home (Canadians) to foot the bill. It is pretty understandable the the homeowners would be a little peeved with the family. Sometimes they make too many changes to the house. Maybe the homeowners aren't exactly ready for those changes. Sometimes change takes time.

When the mother and father fight, it can get a little violent. The father calls the mother something mean and the mother throws a plate at the father. It happens, right? Well the neighbours hear those words (which don't make the family look too good) and the plate hits a wall (which means new paint). In the end, the homeowner always ends up paying.

So who pays for the election? Harper could. He could lose his job, and that would suck for him. Ignatieff could if Canadians get too annoyed with elections. But do Canadians lose?

I'm not going to lie to you, I'm a pretty solid Liberal. I know they aren't perfect, but at least I get to marry whoever I want and I can keep universal health care. I think it's the way I grew up. I always sided with my mom over my dad.

I think everyone can think of a time when their parents said one thing and did the other. Well, I think I could handle a nagging mom versus a two-faced dad. Don't tell me one minute that the NDP are villianous socialists and affliation with them is like signing over your soul. If that's the case, I hope they find you a cool place in hell.

Ignatieff gets props in my book for standing on his own. This time around, good ol' Mikey is saying "We can take them all on our own." All the same, the NDP and the Bloc are like hangers on. They stick around while the getting is good and then they're off to their next meal ticket. I don't blame them but I don't much like them for it. Think of them as those adult children who hang around in their parents basement long after they should have left the nest.

So what do you think: Is it a wasteful election? Do the Bloc and the NDP deserve more credit? In the end, it doesn't matter if you disagree with me. Whether or not you are thinking about it is what really matters.